Foldable box or crate.



W. FABHY.

FOLDABLE BOX 0R CRATE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT-I2, I914.

Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

v l .P. El'l'l'illlll'l a E /k WITNESSES/.-

ATTORNE 'ilT FOLIDABLE BOX OR CRATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

Application filed. September 12, 1914. Serial No. 861,369.

To all w hom it may concern Be it known that I, I/VILLIAM FABRY, a subject of the King of Hungary, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Foldable Boxes or Crates, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a foldable box or crate and has for its principal object the provision of a device which will fold into a minimum of space but which will also be strong, convenient to use and readily manufactured.

A further object of my invention resides in the particular arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a foldable or collapsible box embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the box shown in Fig. 1 in collapsed or knocked down position.

Referring to the drawing, 11 represent slats arranged parallel and forming the front of a box. It will be seen that the slats 1-1 are arranged in alternate relation to the slats 22 and 3-3 which form the side walls of the box and are connected to them by means of pins such as 4 and 5 which form joints or hinged upon which slats 2-42, and 38 may be turned relatively to the slats 11. The slats 22 carry a hinged strip such as 6 and the slats 3-3 carry a hinged stip such as 7 which are pin connected to other hinged strips 8 and 9, respectively, carried by pieces 10-10 and 11-11 which form continuations of the strips 2-2 and 33, respectively. It will be seen that the pieces 22 and 10-1O combine to form one side of the box while the pieces 3-3 and 1111 combine to form the opposite side of the box but that these sides are jointed so that they can fold inwardly as indicated in F ig. 2.

The rear of the box is formed of slats or strips such as 12-12 which are on the same planes as the corresponding strips 1-1 in the front side of the box, and the strips 12 are hinged to the strips 10 and 11 by means of pins 13 and 14, respectively. It will be seen that the side edges of the box project above and below the front and rear sides respectively, and I provide a cover 15 which is suitably hinged to the top strip 12 so that it can be folded over the box when it is in the expanded position, but can also be folded back flat against the outer face of the rear sides as indicated in Fig. 2. I also provide a bottom 16 which is hinged to the lower strip 1 of the front side of the box in such a. manner that it can be folded back flat against the front face of the strips 1 in the manner shown in Fig. 2. It will be seen however that whenever the member 15 or 16 is turned between the two vertical sides, that they are held extended in the position shown in Fig. 1 on account of the fact that the axes of the members 15 and 16 lie within the outer edges of the end sides. I provide also two hooks such as 17, respectively, on the front and rear side of the box which cooperate with pins such as 18 carried by the members 15 and 16 so as to hold these members horizontal when so desired and thus keep the box expanded. In order to collapse the box it is only necessary to unhook members 17 and 19 and fold the members 15 and 16 back on their hinges whereupon the hinges in the center of the two ends may be folded inwardly, and the box assumes the shape shown in Fig. 2.

It will be understood that while I have shown and described a preferred form of my invention, that I do not wish to be limited to the mechanical details previously mentioned except in so far as I am limited by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A collapsible box comprising a plurality of slats, forming front and rear sides, ends comprised of slats interposed at the corners alternately with the side slats to which they are connected and adapted to fold inwardly, a top member hinged to said rear side adapted to fold against the outer surface thereof, a bottom member hinged to the front side adapted to fold against the outer surface thereof, said ends each being formed in two equal sections, and central, vertical plate hinges extending the full height of the ends, said hinges being secured to both sections of each end slat centrally therebetween.

2. A collapsible box comprising a plurality of spaced slats constituting front and rear sides, sectional end slats above, below, and interposed between said side slats, rods passing through all of said slats at their ends forming the corners of the box whereby In testimony whereof I aflix my signature the sides and ends are relatively pivoted, in the presenoe of two witnesses.

late hin es secured eentrall of the ends to Each of s ziid end slats, a tog and a bottom WILLIAM FABRY' member hinged diagonally to the box and Witnesses; means for engaging said top and bottom GEO. G. ERDENSH, members with their respective sides. 7 FREDERICK JUST.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

' Washington, D. G. 

